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Port St. Christopher Pirates F.C.
Port St. Christopher Pirates Football Club (typically shortened to PSC Pirates) is a professional football club based in Port St. Christopher, St. Gregory. The team plays in League A, the top tier of the St. Gregory Football Association. Pirates have spent much of their history in the lower divisions, mostly in League B. They spent one season in League A – in 2015-16, following promotion through the playoffs – but were relegated back to League B after just one season. They returned to League A following a successful 2018-19 League B campaign in which they set a club record with 11 consecutive wins, helping them clinch promotion with two games left to play. The team's primary rivals are fellow east coast sides Cape Wells Wanderers and Merrickton. History The club was established in 1996 as Port St. Christopher F.C. by the owners of the Jenkins' Ear brewery, who have remained shirt sponsors since the club's inception, and began play in League C the following year. The club competed in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League after reaching the 2014 SGFA Cup Final, where they were defeated 2-1 by FC Chapman. Pirates qualified for the CCL as losing finalists as Chapman had also won the 2013-14 League A championship. A fourth-place finish in 2014-15 meant that Pirates would qualify for the playoffs for the first time in club history. After defeating Swifton Athletic in the first round, they faced the 14th-place team in League A, Midland International, in the playoff final. After a 1-1 draw in normal time, Pirates prevailed 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out to earn their first-ever promotion to League A. The team made their League A debut on October 10, 2015, losing 2-0 away at FC Chapman. They went winless through the first 13 matches of the 2015-16 League A season before recording their first-ever League A victory on January 16, 2016, defeating Winston Beach 3-2 at home. They would ultimately not survive the drop in their maiden season, however, finishing 15th and being relegated back to League B. Stadium The team play their home games at the 8,210-seat Mill Park stadium which features pirate-themed decorations such as replica cannons and a crow's nest-style capo stand. Colors, crest and nickname The club’s identity draws heavily on the history of the town, which played an important role during the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean during the 1700s. The nickname, the Pirates, was first given by the fans and later officially adopted by the club. The club colors of brown, red and white were taken from German club FC St. Pauli, whose fans have a similar pirate-themed identity. Kits Pirates' uniforms are currently supplied by Nike. The shirt sponsor is Jenkins' Ear Brewery. For the 2015-16 season, the club introduced a one-off beer-themed kit which will coincide with the launch of a new Jenkins' Ear seasonal ale. The amber-colored kit will be worn during Pirates' nationally televised home match against Bonneville United on November 29, 2015. Players Current squad : As of August 14, 2019 Note: Players without a flag are from St. Gregory. Players with an asterisk (*) are from outside the United States or its territories, or have represented a non-U.S. territory at international level, but hold either citizenship or permanent residency in the U.S. and thus do not count towards the league cap on foreign players. Out on loan Former players :Further information: Category:Port St. Christopher Pirates F.C. players Category:Port St. Christopher Pirates F.C. Category:Club pages